Of Wishes and Wills
by Pegistar5
Summary: August 15th. That was the day that Homura died. It was also the day she met Azami Kozakura. When Homura winds up in the Heat Haze instead of joining Madoka, she is tasked with a mission by the medusa; save the ones with blood-red eyes. Of course, the alternative was to wander in the Heat Haze forever.
1. Prologue: Red

**A/N: First chappie/prologue done! I thought since I've been having a bit of a writer's block on my other stories that it would be good to throw this out and see how people like it. This takes place post-series and pre-Rebellion, which is different from my other story Shattering Lenses (meaning Homura might be a tad OOC). Don't get me wrong, I love Homura, but I'm a bit of an optimist when it comes to stories, which doesn't really click with Homura's character (who is 1. rather pessimistic, at least at the end of the series and 2. is stubborn as all heck).**

 **But enough about me ranting, let's get on with the story!**

 **P.S., the beginning assumes that you have read the summary. If you haven't read the summary of this story (1. why did you not read it? and 2.) go read it.**

* * *

"Death is but the next great adventure." -Albus Dumbledore; _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_

* * *

Homura Akemi opened her eyes to red.

 _This isn't what it's supposed to look like_ , she thought. _Where's Madoka? Shouldn't the Law of Cycles have taken me away?_

And yet, this _wasn't_ the Law of Cycles. This she knew.

She took a glance around her surroundings, ruined buildings and cracked pavement meeting her eyes. She felt sick.

 _It's too much like Walpurgisnacht…_ she muttered in her mind. She began moving forward, black heels thunking against the ground. There were a couple of signposts scattered around, and the light of her soul gem reflected off of them.

 _Wait, what?!_

Her eyes snapped to her left hand. There it was, shining in all its facetious glory.

 _But if I died… then wouldn't it not be here anymore? But if I'm_ alive… _this shouldn't even be shining! It was almost pitch black the last time I saw it!_

Red. There was so much red, almost shimmering in waves around her.

" **Who are you?** " An unknown voice broke into her thoughts.

"Who are _you_?" Homura decided to retort.

The voice _tsk_ ed and huffed in annoyance. " **You humans. Always so rude. Very well, my name is Azami Kozakura.** "

Homura pondered the name for a while. _Azami Kozakura. Definitely someone I haven't heard of._ With that in mind, she decided to answer. "Homura Akemi."

The voice was silent for a while. " **Come,** " it eventually ordered. " **Perhaps we should meet face to face. There is something about you that is different. Perhaps you know of what it may be?** "

While the voice had said it so nonchalantly, Homura could detect the hidden malice beneath it. She inwardly tensed. _So this voice can sense my magic._ However, having nothing better to do, she decided to walk forward. Her feet seemed to instinctively know where to go, walking down pathways and veering around corners. She wandered like this for a while, not knowing where she would end up or what she was going to do if she was stuck in here forever. It was a group of spiraling stairs that finally caught her attention.

 _This is it,_ she thought to herself. She didn't know how or why she knew that this was where she was supposed to go. She decided not to question it. _Yet_.

As she climbed the steps, her mind began to wander. _I wonder how Kyoko-san and Mami-san are doing._ Despite everything that had happened between them, she still had a bit of respect for the veteran magical girls. It had only been a few months since Sayaka had joined the Law of Cycles, and while they weren't very close, she was sure that they would feel her death keenly. When they noticed. It had been a while since they had separated.

Reaching the top, she was greeted with a young woman clad in black. Her hair, twisting and curling, was tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon and reached the floor. Homura was unable to discern anything else through the thick strands, but the red ribbon captivated her, and her hand reached up to her own red ribbon instinctively.

The woman turned around, and she nearly gasped. Twin blood-red eyes stared at her, glaringly bright even amongst the red haze around them. She could barely tear her gaze away from them, and yet she did, analyzing the rest of the strange person. The woman's outfit seemed a bit behind the times, almost like a magical girl's outfit of old. She was wearing a long black dress with a high collar and slit in the side, along with a white underskirt, and long black sandals. The dress had a red underside and a few red accents. Snake scales on her cheeks were the only sign that showed Homura that she was not completely human.

" **We have a lot to talk about, Homura Akemi.** "

"So it is," Homura agreed, but she couldn't keep a slight twinge of apprehension from worming into her gut.

" **First, do you know where we are?** "

"No," Homura admitted, voice cold and face stoic. "Where are we?"

" **Some call this place the Heat-haze** ," Azami began. " **Others, the Neverending world. Still others, the Daze. In truth, it is all three, the Heat-haze Daze.** "

 _Neverending…?_ "Why am I here?"

" **You died, did you not? At the moment of your death, you were swallowed by the Heat-haze. Such is the fate of those who die on August 15.** "

Panic filled her. "Is there no way out?" she asked, but a trace of worry leaked through her voice. _There has to be one…! I can't be stuck in here forever!_

" **There is none.** " With that, Homura's hopes crashed to the ground. " **Now then, what are you hiding, Homura Akemi?** "

It took all of Homura's self-control built up over the constant time-loops to stop herself from collapsing on the ground right then and there. "...What do you wish to know?"

" **Everything.** " Azami's eyes glinted. " **We have all the time in the world, human, and there aren't many options left for you. You better start explaining just what is so special about you.** "

And with a sinking feeling, Homura knew that she was right.

* * *

It had taken a long time, but she finally got the information out of her.

To be quite honest, Azami was surprised. This Homura girl had mostly managed to keep her composure during the entire explanation, save a few cracks here and there. Then again, she had many timelines of experience, much like herself.

 _Kindred spirits,_ a voice whispered traitorously in her mind. She shook it away, focusing instead on the existence of magic.

She had seen many discrepancies within the lives of some of the more famous girls of the world, in particular those within the story books. And while she herself had never met with this 'Kyubey', she was sure that she would have instantly been lured into his trap.

She made a quick note to never let him and the snake of Clearing Eyes meet.

 _Homura's abilities are quite powerful,_ she remarked in her head. _However, they came at a steep price…_ She wondered what had driven the human girl to reveal the existence of her precious friend and deity, Madoka Kaname. Azami was not blind to human emotion. It was clear from the tone of her voice as she said her name that this Madoka was very important to her, perhaps more so than her own life. And she was desperate to reunite with her. That much was clear. She mulled over the new information. _Perhaps…_

" **Perhaps it will be wise to inform you of various other circumstances…** " she began.

* * *

 _This is insane,_ was her first thought as she listened to the story, the story of snakes. And yet, she knew in her heart that every single word she spoke was true. She knew that Azami wasn't human. The fact that she was a medusa, on the other hand, was a little hard to swallow. She always believed that the Medusa of the stories was a former magical girl turned witch, not a species of its own. Even now she was questioning whether the medusa in front of her was a product of a wish.

She quickly discarded that thought when the snake of Clearing Eyes was brought up. The implications of such a thing were too disturbing.

 _Still,_ she mused. _Wishes- in this case wills- have a lot to do with the powers and snakes that these children possess. You can't deny the similarities._ She didn't know any of the children by name, but she had a description of a few wishes.

 _Wishing to disappear. Wishing to hide their scars. Wishing to hear the voice of their friend. Wishing to draw attention to them._ Those were the few wishes that Azami had mentioned. Not only that, but the fact that Azami's granddaughter continually wished to turn back time.

 _All for the sake of living those summer days with her friends again._

At this point, it was no wonder that she was drawing parallels between the world of snakes and her own world of magical girls. There was even a price for the powers of the snakes. Someone else had to sacrifice their life so that the other could live on. Not to mention the psychological burden that would likely come from having those "eyes" as Azami had put it. But now…

"You propose a deal?" she questioned skeptically.

" **Correct,** " Azami's voice echoed back. " **I have been keeping these snakes in reserve for those who would eventually come to possess them, but…** "

Homura instantly understood the implications. "You said there was no way out." Her tone was accusatory and dry.

" **If you accept my deal, then I may be able to… bend the rules, if you will.** "

"I thought you weren't the Queen of Snakes anymore?"

" **The snakes will not bend to my will anymore… but one may cave in to your wish.** "

The Heat-haze shuddered. "Explain."

" **You know of the time-loops and who causes them. At this very moment, she is about to reset the world.** " Another shiver ran through the area. " **While it may be her who is utilizing the power, I can guide her power to leave you at the catalyst. My deal, Homura Akemi, is for you to save the ones with blood-red eyes.** "

"And if I fail?" she asked, even as the world shuddered around her.

" **You will die,** " she stated bluntly. The tremors increased in volume. " **This is your last and only chance. Will you accept this mission?** "

"Yes," Homura answered without a hint of hesitation. _Because if there is even a slight chance of being able to go back to Madoka, I will take it!_

" **Then I** _ **wish**_ **you good luck,** " Azami remarked as everything spun into black once again.

* * *

 **A/N: End of prologue/first chappie! What do you think so far? Were any of the characters (well, there's only Azami and Homura) out of character? I think the worst contender of OOCness is that Homura's too accepting/trusting of Azami's story... but I really wanted to move the plot along heheh (and my impatience gets the better of me sometimes...)**


	2. Ayano's Theory of Happiness 1

**A/N: At last, the next chapter! XD This one wasn't all the difficult to be honest, since it's just a collection of prewritten scenes... But some of the characters act a little OOC... rip**

 **Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter!**

* * *

"Where there's a will, there's a way." -?

* * *

"The grander the wish, the grander the price. You humans say that all the time." Kano froze with his hand on the handle. This voice… it was undoubtedly the snake's.

"I am going to fulfill this man's wish. I'm only able to exist _because_ of his wish. The rest doesn't matter to me at all. The human life, human heart, and human ideals… compared to a human wish, they're as good as worthless."

 _Ayano, what are you doing, talking to him?_

"You're insane," Ayano spat.

"Ooh, I'm honored you think so," the snake sneered. "What do you intend to do about it then? Do you seriously expect me to stop killing people just because you asked nicely? You're not the sharpest tool in the shed, but that's a bit too idiotic, even for you."

"Oh, that's fine." Somehow, the tone of her voice made Kano uneasy. "I have a plan. If all the snakes don't gather in this world, Dad's wish won't come true, right?"

"I suppose that's true. It's no small feat to bring the dead back to life. Therefore, the perfect being that rules _all_ the snakes is necessary."

"If that's the case… what would happen if I received one of the snakes' powers, but didn't return from the Heat-haze?"

Shock bolted through him. He burst out the door with horrified eyes. "Sis, don't!"

"Shuuya…?"

"Don't talk like that!" he pleaded, even as he saw her perched precariously on the railing of the roof. "Remember what you said? You promised that you would stay with us forever!"

"Hey now, don't do anything stupid," the snake said calmly. "Do you have any idea what would happen if you…"

"There's no point in going through with a plan you know won't succeed." Her voice was overly cheery. "There'd be no reason to kill Takane, Haruka, and everyone else, would there?"

"You…" Even as the snake said that, a twisting mass of snakes opened up behind the girl.

"So this is what swallows up dead people," she commented as she reached out a hand, tears beginning to spill over her eyes. "I'm so, so sorry, Shuuya… I guess your big sis isn't as strong as you thought… I'm scared."

"No! Don't do it! AYANO!" Kano screamed.

Then, a torrent of things happened.

The door was blasted off its hinges as a black blur shot out, catapulting into the snake and knocking him several feet back.

At the very same moment, Ayano's hand slipped and she began falling. Kano let out a strangled cry and lunged towards her, but the black blur was faster, somehow knocking down the railing and managing to clamp firmly onto her hand.

"Hold tight," the figure called, raven-black hair swaying in the breeze.

Kano stared at the girl. _Who is she? What is she doing here? I've never seen someone who had managed to move so fast!_ In the end, he shoved those thoughts away and hurried to pull up Ayano.

"You… idiot…" he managed to gasp out as he hauled her up. "You… _promised_ us…" The two of them collapsed on the floor, panting for breath.

"I'm sorry…!" Ayano sobbed as she doubled over. "I thought… I thought… but then… he… he _smiled_ as I was falling and…!"

Even as she spoke, the mysterious raven-haired girl watched over them with cold red eyes.

 _Wait, red…?_

He glared the girl warily while crouching protectively over Ayano. Kano wasn't a fool. He'd _seen_ how fast that girl had moved. He had no idea who she was, why she was here, and even why she had decided to help Ayano. Not to mention the fact that her eyes were also red, meaning she was carrying a snake. Which one, he had no idea, but it never hurt to be cautious.

That, and he had just watched his sister nearly kill herself by jumping off the roof. At this point, he was just so completely _done_.

The girl cast her eyes over them, almost as if analyzing them. He had no idea what she was thinking, but those eyes were beginning to make him uneasy. _What in the world can she be thinking about?_

* * *

Homura never expected this turn of events. When Azami said that she would be bringing her to the catalyst, she didn't think that she would find herself mere moments before what looked to be a high schooler's suicide. She had acted on pure instinct then, barreling into the (undeniably creepy and evil) man to prevent him from interfering before rushing to the girl and grabbing hold of her before she could die. It had reminded her too much of what a victim of the witch's kiss would act like.

Her eyes briefly flicked over to where the man had been, only to find that he had disappeared. _Strange… Perhaps he had fled while I was… preoccupied._

But that didn't matter, not right now. Now she had to figure out what she was to do with the two kneeling in front of her. Her eyes narrowed slightly when her gaze locked with the boy's. He was suspicious of her, she could tell. Since Azami had told her that this was the catalyst, and that her mission was to "save the ones with blood-red eyes", she knew that this boy in front of her was likely one of those with said "eyes".

Homura wasn't stupid. She knew that she was missing a lot of key information. While Azami may have told her the medusa's story, she didn't know who these two people in front of her were. She had no idea why the girl would try to kill herself (to try and get a power, perhaps?), why that man was quite obviously assaulting them, or even how much they knew about the "eyes". There were several layers of knowledge to that story, just like how the world of magical girls had its various dark secrets that some never discovered.

Those weren't the only things she didn't know. While she knew a few of the 'wills', she didn't know what any of the powers were. Azami had mentioned that the snakes had names, but never their actual names, aside from the snake of Clearing Eyes. Following that thought, she had no idea which power had possessed her, or even the potential consequences of her power. Not only that, but she had no idea what Azami's granddaughter looks like, who the snake of Clearing Eyes was possessing, and what he was doing to make Azami's granddaughter turn back time over and over and over again.

 _The logical course of action would be to get that information out of them,_ she thought, turning her attention once again to the two in front of her. _However…_

"Who are you?" the boy practically snarled. She could feel slight irritation creep up at her, even as a small, tiny part of her wailed, _"Why does nobody ever understand that I want to help them!"_

Suddenly the boy reared back, blinking with shock. The girl too, had snapped up her head and turned to look at her.

"...What is it?" she asked, slightly unnerved by the strange behavior.

The girl took the lead. "U-um, if you wouldn't mind telling us your name…?" A sharp breath escaped her as Homura turned her eyes onto her.

 _Melancholy. She's almost like…_ "Homura Akemi," she answered.

The girl flinched back, almost as if hit with some invisible force. Even so, she charged on. "W-why did you do what you did?"

"Why wouldn't I do what I did?" she said impassively. "You were about to jump off the roof. I'm sure there would be people who would've missed you, including this boy here." Her eyes flitted to the boy in question before falling back into her stoic mask. _Sorrow. Hesitation. Sympathy._

The girl's eyes widened, as if realizing something. "You… you do know that your eyes are red, right?"

 _Skepticism._ "What do you mean? My eyes are… purple…" _Realization. Panic. So I'm using my power right now,_ she thought. She didn't dare to let her feelings show, instead keeping her impassable mask.

The girl was on her in an instant. "T-this might seem weird and rude, since you just saved my life and all, b-but this is important! Do you know of a place called the Heat-haze?"

 _Shock._ "How do _you_ know that place?" she retorted, keeping her face carefully neutral.

The girl glanced around warily, almost as if just realizing that the man was gone. "It's… it's a long story," she said nervously, beginning to fidget where she stood. "And a little unbelievable."

 _"I'm sure whatever story you have is more believable than mine."_ "Try me."

The girl yelped with surprise before regaining her composure. "W… what are you doing here?"

 _Slight irritation. Hesitation. Doubt._ Homura was beginning to wonder when the barrage of questions would end. "No reason."

This time it was the boy's eyes narrowing at her, before his eyes flashed red and he was looking at her with a curious expression.

 _Like he's hiding his true feelings,_ Homura realized. She couldn't dwell on it, however. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

"There's something that I have to figure out," the girl answered. "Were you… were you in the Heat-haze?"

 _Surprise. Wariness._ "Is the Heat-haze related to why you tried to jump off the building?" She needed as much information as possible about the girl in front of her, given the way she was constantly pressing her. She was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, given that she was likely supposed to protect her and the general strangeness of the situation, but that generosity only went so far. _"What is she trying to do?"_

"What are you doing here?" The girl was becoming bolder with each question.

 _Confusion. Suspicion. Wariness. Doubt. Hesitation. "You wouldn't believe me."_ "I already told you; no reason," she replied curtly.

"Ah- Do you mind if I ask one more question?" _Suspicion._ "Why do you think that I wouldn't believe you?"

 _Shock. Anger. Wariness. RAGE._ "Are you reading my mind?" she nearly snapped, eyes dilating. The boy made to lunge at her but the girl held him back, something akin to courage and defiance spreading in her eyes.

"No. I don't have that power, and I likely never will. I think it's more like you're… projecting your thoughts and emotions to me, somehow."

 _Panic._ "And you're telling me this because…?"

"Well…" She scratched her head, suddenly looking sheepish. "Do you know anything about the red eyes?"

Homura narrowed her eyes at her, still slightly in shock. _Of all things, why is_ that _my power?!_ Only when she registered the question did she finally answer. "...Yes." _"Save the ones with blood-red eyes."_

The girl gasped abruptly and grabbed her hands. "Would you please come with me? I think we'll be able to figure out this mystery if we both work together!"

 _Irritation._ Homura sighed. _This eye power is bothersome… But this is exactly what I wanted,_ she reminded herself. _This power is what I had wished- no, what I_ willed _for._ "Very well." _Resignation._

"Shuuya," the girl called, turning to the blond boy. "Could you tell the others to meet up over at the playground? Just tell them that she might need our help, like Marry."

"Ah, um, okay," he replied, confusion and hesitation evident on his face. "You're going to explain everything, right?" Now his eyes turned the slightest bit pleading.

"Of course I will," the girl smiled. "Homura and I just need to talk and figure some things out first. Now, let's go!"

* * *

On their way to the playground, Homura learned that the girl's name was Ayano Tateyama, and that she was the adoptive older sister of the boy, Shuuya Kano, along with two others. The aforementioned Marry was a girl in the woods that one of them had found and brought home not too long ago. She wasn't officially adopted, but she considered her a sister all the same. She also learned that Ayano's mom had been researching medusae and the children with blood-red eyes.

"And now you're saying that your father has been possessed by a snake and is trying to revive your dead mother, but this is going to lead him to sacrifice your adoptive siblings and two of your schoolmates."

"I _did_ tell you it was pretty unbelievable," she laughed sheepishly.

"...I've heard crazier." _"Like soul-ripping Incubators that want to harvest the energy of emotions in order to combat entropy."_

"...That's _true_?!"

 _"I did it again, didn't I…?" Irritation. Contempt._ "Nothing to worry about." _Hopefully…_

"If you say so…" She paused. "Well, we're here. I've told you my story, what's yours?"

 _Resignation. Reluctance._ "...It's a long, long story."

"We have time."

 _"And why would I tell you, when no one ever believed me before? Well, except her…"_

"Because I told you my story, and you listened. I should return the favor."

Homura sighed as she gathered her thoughts. She hated it, _loathed_ it even, but she was right. _Reluctance. Hesitation. Pain. Hurt. Grief. Distress._ _ **Loneliness.**_

Ayano physically staggered back at the wave of emotions surging at her. "H-Homura, you okay?"

Homura blinked in alarm. "Are _you_ okay?" She knew full well how damaging the emotions she harbored could be.

Ayano gripped her heart, her fingers crinkling her uniform. "So much _pain…_ " she whispered to herself. Louder, she added, "You don't have to hold it all in, Homura. You can let us help, you know that? I'm fine. It looks like your eyes are back to normal too," she noted. "To be honest, purple is a strange color for eyes. It really fits you, though."

"Ah… thanks…" _There's a warm feeling in my heart… It's been a long while since I've felt this way…_

Ayano squeezed Homura's hand. "Don't worry. We might have just met, but you saved me. I'll do everything I can to help you."

Homura could only nod, choking on too many feelings. She took a deep breath in and exhaled, trying to clear away the emotions. "Before I start, I have to make sure of something. Ayano Tateyama, do you treasure the life you live?"

Ayano blinked. This clearly was not what she was expecting. "Of course I do. I mean, Dad might be possessed by a snake, and Mom might be dead… but I still have Shuuya, Kousuke, and Tsubomi. I also have Shintaro, Takane, and Haruka, although two of them might die tonight if I can't stop _him_ …"

Homura gripped her hand tighter. "That's all I need. It all began on March 19th, in a hospital bed within Mitakihara City…"

* * *

Shuuya Kano ran to the playground, his two adoptive siblings in tow. He didn't know what exactly his sister had figured out, but he knew that it was important if she was willing to bring in Seto and Kido into the situation.

Speaking of… "Kano? Do you know why Ayano told us to meet at the playground?"

"To be honest, I don't know all the details." _Honest. Hah. I just watched my sister nearly kill herself by jumping off of the school's roof._ "She just told me to meet at the playground, and that it was important…" As the trio rounded the corner, they froze at the sight of a raven-haired girl sobbing her heart out while Ayano stroked her hair and held her hand. None of them could make out what she was saying, but all of them got the feeling that they stumbled upon something undeniably _personal_.

"What…" Kido whispered. Then a web of emotions slammed into them, too tangled for anyone but those who have experienced those feelings to realize what they were. _Sincerity. Loneliness. Pain. Grief. Fear. Sorrow._

Kano bit back the rising bile in his throat. _Just what kind of things have happened to her?_

Ayano chose to look up right then and caught Kano's eye. She beckoned the three of them closer before mouthing, "Her eyes."

Kano could've slapped himself for his stupidity. How could he have forgotten? He glanced at the other two, an unspoken signal between them. _We have to help her._ As they drew closer, Kano could see that the girl's eyes were red, and not just from crying.

"Power?" he mouthed to Ayano.

"Projecting emotions and thoughts," she whispered.

 _Ah. That explains a lot of things._ Now that he thought about it, the atmosphere from back then had seemed heavier than normal. He knew now that it was this girl unconsciously projecting her emotions, even then.

Unfortunately, Homura heard this and ceased her crying immediately, realizing that she was not alone. _Shame. Embarrassment. "How could I have let myself be so weak in front of strangers?"_

"They're not strangers," Ayano answered, and it took a second for him to realize that she had been projected to as well. "They're my siblings, the ones I've told you about."

Homura was silent for a moment. Then she heaved a sigh and stood up. _Resolve._ Ayano made to steady her, but she waved her off. "...Names?"

"...Shuuya Kano, call me Kano."

"...Tsubomi Kido, call me Kido."

"Seto, Kousuke Seto."

"Homura Akemi," the girl said, and this time her eyes seemed to brighten the tiniest bit. "...Nice to meet you."

"Now, " Ayano interrupted, clapping her hands together. Her face was dead serious. "We don't have much time left."

"That's right," Homura added; her tone was all business. "We have people to save."

 _Determination. Resolve._ "...You're saying…?"

"I'm going to need you two to listen carefully. I'll explain everything to you later on, but right now all you need to know is that Dad has been possessed by a snake and he's going to kill two of my schoolmates."

Kido and Seto's eyes widened with horror. "Dad's gonna…!"

"Homura," Ayano interrupted. "Can you still use your… _powers_?" There seemed to be a story behind it, but Kano wouldn't ask. Not _yet_.

"I should be able to," the raven-haired girl replied. "It's going to be difficult to try and get everyone here to move together…"

"No need." Ayano turned to Kano and Seto. "Can the two of you head back home and hold down the fort? We're going to need someone to get everything ready once we come back."

"...Right. Be careful, sis. Please."

 _Insight. Wisdom._ Ayano nodded and turned to Kido. "Kido, listen carefully. I know that this is a lot to process, but you're going to be a vital part in our plan…"

* * *

Tsubomi Kido could hardly believe any of the craziness that was going on right now. There was so much going on, and so much had changed in just a single day.

First, the fact that her _very own Dad_ was planning to kill not one, but _two_ people. Granted, he was being possessed by a snake, but that still didn't change the fact that he was dangerous now. At least, according to Homura's words.

Second, Homura herself. She had the power to _stop time_? It was absurd, and yet, she experienced it herself. However, Kido couldn't forget the way she sobbed her heart out in front of Ayano. Just what kind of things has she been through? And how did she manage to make a complete 180 in personality? She half-wished that she would be able to keep her cool like that, especially now that they were in such a crazy situation.

Finally, the fact that they were all involved in this in the first place. It was almost like something out of a superhero movie, where the gang of good guys tried to stop the bad guys… or something like that. Except this time, it was real.

Kido shook her head. _Focus. Now isn't the time for such thoughts._ She turned her gaze back to the hospital bed, where Ayano's friend was. Haruka, if she remembered correctly. _Ayano said that Dad- the snake was going to try and kill Haruka-san… And it's my job to make sure that doesn't happen._

Her eyes were blazing.

But she didn't mind, because this time she was saving someone's life with her power.

* * *

Homura Akemi had no idea what she was getting into when she first accepted this mission. She thought that once she died as a magical girl, she would finally be able to live in peace.

 _Looks like the universe hates me more than I thought._

She never thought that she would have revealed so much of herself to someone who was virtually a stranger. She never thought that she would gain an ability that allowed her to project her own emotions. She never thought that she would now be going off to save someone from falling into the clutches of a possessed man- who just so happens to be a father- and she never thought that she would be trying to unravel a goddamn conspiracy.

 _Speaking of, why did I decide to reveal so much of myself in the first place…? Is it because this new ability of mine forced me to open up? ...Or is it because Ayano reminds me so much of_ her…

 _"This is just like the Incubators all over again,"_ she groaned.

"You did it again," Ayano whispered. Homura nodded her thanks. This plan of hers that she had constructed; it relied almost entirely on her capacity to master her eye power in a short amount of time. Despite the mixed emotions about this new ability, she couldn't deny the fact that it was useful. Focusing on the slight sting in her retina, she sharpened it and let it fester.

 _Determination._

"Your eyes!" Ayano exclaimed giddily. Homura merely smiled.

"The more I use it, the more I'm able to control it. Speaking from magical girl experience." She then stiffened and pulled Ayano into a branching path. "Is that Takane?" she hissed, watching the pigtailed girl approaching in the distance.

Ayano nodded, eyes furrowed together. "Mission start?"

"Mission start." Homura narrowed her eyes at the running girl and felt a surge of power coming from her eyes. _Good. Now, focus on the exact feeling you want to send, and push it out…_ She inhaled deeply as she struggled to pick out the emotions and words she wanted. _Wariness. Hesitation. "DANGER. STOP."_

Takane froze in the hallway, just past where Homura and Ayano were hiding. "W-what… what was that…?"

Homura smirked, being especially careful not to let this power feed on her relief. "Ayano, now."

"Takane!" Ayano called out, straightening and making it look as though she just found her.

"A-Ayano? What are you doing here?"

"Joining you, silly!" She then drew down her gaze and said softly, "He's my friend too, you know?"

 _Regret. Acceptance._ "Ah, s-sorry, I guess I didn't think of it like that." The two girls continued speed-walking down the hall. Homura breathed a sigh of relief.

 _Phase one: check._ She blinked rapidly, making sure to dismiss the prickling behind her eyes. _It's much easier to call upon this power than to send it away…_ She glanced both ways before coming out of her hiding spot. _Now for phase two… following them without letting Ayano's father realizing that I'm here…_

* * *

Kido flinched in surprise as her dad entered the room. _It looks like Ayano was right,_ she thought regretfully as she noticed his bright red eyes. _I almost wish she was wrong, for once._ While she knew her eye power had been activated, she still couldn't shake off the feeling that those Eyes would be able to pierce through her and clear away any shadows that she tried to put up around her.

" _Trust your instincts_ ," Homura had said, so she shrank even further into the recesses of the room. She couldn't screw up now.

The girl watched as her dad strode up to Haruka, an almost snake-like grin donning his face. Seeing that kind of grin on her dad's face frightened her.

 _I'm scared,_ she whimpered inwardly. Her body was trembling and hands were shaking. _I'm so,_ so _scared._

 _But real heroes would leap in and save the day, right?_

With that in mind, she tackled her father to the ground.

* * *

Homura was tailing Takane and Ayano when she got a strange thrill in her body. She nearly froze and got herself caught by Takane.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?" Ayano replied innocently, although Homura could see that sweat was beginning to form on her brow. She quickly ducked out of sight before Takane could see her.

"Oh, never mind," the girl shrugged. "Come on! Let's hurry. I want to see Haruka!" There was the barest hint of desperation in her voice. Homura honed on the emotion, capitalizing on it and forming it into words before shoving it at Ayano.

 _"Something's wrong."_

Ayano gave a start, but luckily Takane didn't notice, already racing down the streets. She gave the barest hint of a nod in her direction before following after Takane.

 _"Please hurry."_

* * *

Looking back on it, Kido would say that she was incredibly lucky. The snake hadn't brought any weapons to kill Haruka, having planned on simply detaching the hospital equipment to do his job. Which was why, when she tackled him to the ground, he was cursing and struggling to throw her off.

Kido screwed her eyes shut and grabbed blindly at something, _anything_ to help her hold the grown man down.

 _"Incapacitate him if possible, but be careful."_ There had been a flash of some unknown emotion in the strange girl's eyes. _"If… if you have to run, don't hesitate to do so."_

Her hands clasped at some cube-like object and she swung it down as hard as she could onto her dad's head. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to do much.

He cursed once again and flung her off, driving the breath out of her as she landed. She looked up to find the man racing over to punch her.

She ducked, eyes wide with fright as she felt the pressure fly over her head. She quickly twisted and lashed out before scrambling away.

 _There has to be_ something _here…!_

Too late- in her moment of distraction the snake had driven his elbow into her, sending her crashing against the wall. The world spun around her as she temporarily blanked out. She blinked her eyes dizzily, trying to bring the world back into focus. Her father was standing over her, mouth twisted in a sick grin and a thin, metal scalpel raised high; glinting in the harsh hospital lights.

 _I'm going to die; I'm going to die; I'm going to die...!_ she thought as the haze in her mind cleared. The snake brought it down.

The image of her father was burned into her eyes.

* * *

"Do you know where Haruka is?" Ayano asked as she jogged next to Takane. The pigtailed girl nodded.

"Room 135," she replied as she glanced over the various plaques. "It should be over here." Ayano nearly hesitated, remembering the warning that Homura had given her. However, stalling wasn't going to help matters, _especially_ if there was some sort of emergency. The two of them walked into the room.

Takane _screamed_ as she saw Kido, a river of blood pooling around her stomach. Ayano attempted to do the same, but no sound came out, only the harsh breath of air as she heaved in, out, in, out.

"Oh my god," she whispered silently, recoiling with an expression of disgust and horror. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…" _What in the world…? Kido…!_ She looked up and her eyes locked onto Homura's as she came in. _Urgency. Dread._

"Give her to me," Homura ordered, her face surprisingly calm despite the feelings she had just projected earlier. The red in her eyes faded away. Ayano complied, seeing a slight flash of fear in the girl's eyes as her hands touched the girl's body.

"Get me some fabric. Anything will do. Those hospital sheets, maybe."

Ayano could only nod and do as she said, her throat too clogged up with panic to say anything. After ripping off portions of the white sheets she bundled them up and hurried over to Homura. The girl immediately began wrapping them around the wound and tightening them.

"W-what…?" Takane asked in a harsh whisper. "What's… going-?"

"We'll explain everything later," Homura spoke in her icy tone. She finished tying together the last of the makeshift bandages and stood up, Kido cradled in her arms. "Ayano, lead the way."

 _What…?_ "To… to where-?"

"Your house." Homura looked at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We should bring Haruka too, in case that snake decides to drop by again."

"Y-yeah…" _How can she be so_ calm _?_ She swallowed the bile in her throat and tried again. "Takane? Can you please help carry him?"

Takane shuffled over and hauled him up, her eyes blank and uncomprehending. "You owe me an explanation," she managed to croak out, some of her old irritation leaking into her voice.

"I promise I'll give you one," she whispered hoarsely. "Right now, all I can say is that you can trust us."

"Hold tight and don't let go." After grasping firmly on Homura's sleeve, the three plus two comatose bodies disappeared from the room.

* * *

 **A/N: This story (cough timeline cough) is assuming that the Blindfold gang has already been formed (or at least the concept of it, with the last names as code names and all that).**

 **Well! Things certainly spiraled out of control!**

 **Please rate and review! And I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	3. Ayano's Theory of Happiness 2

**A/N: Procrastination is the bane of my existence. And with that, we shall continue with the story.**

* * *

"There are two types of pains, one that hurts you and the other that changes you."

* * *

Kano swung his legs from where he had perched on the chair, Seto looking gloomily down next to him.

"Do you… do you think Tsubomi will be alright?" the black-haired boy whispered, using her first name instead of the 'code names' that they had come up with.

 _It's getting late…_ Kano thought to himself as he gazed at the clock, the seconds ticking by into minutes. Outside, the sun was bleeding its color out into the sky as it slipped below the horizon, staining the air orange.

"I'm worried…" Seto continued. "I've never seen Ayano-nee so fierce… and who knows what that strange girl is up to?"

"Did you read her mind?" Kano asked. The dark-haired boy shook his head.

"No, I didn't get the chance to. And to be honest, I don't know if I want to…" he trailed off. Kano could understand what he meant.

"Mm, well, I guess all we can do is hope for the best…" _Although I wish they didn't take Tsu- Kido. Why couldn't I have gone instead?_ He shoved those thoughts to the side and stood up. "No use moping around, Seto. Let's do a perimeter check once more." He forced a smile on his face, courtesy of his ability. "Ayano trusts us to hold down the fort, right? So we gotta make sure that no one gets in without us knowing!"

"Ah, I'll go tell Marry to help out too!" Seto said, bouncing up. "Three is better than two, right? So let's do this!"

* * *

Homura hugged the still body of Kido closer to her as she weaved through the streets, following the lead of Ayano as she half-jogged to her house. Takane trailed behind them, hanging onto her sleeve while partially dragging Haruka.

"What the hell…?" she muttered. "It's like everyone's frozen…"

"They're frozen in time," Homura informed. "Which is why I asked you to hang on." She gritted her teeth as a wave of pain washed over her. Stopping time for this long was taking a toll on her. Luckily, there weren't many people around. It would be hard to explain why there were people unexplainably teleporting from one place to another.

Ayano shot a worried glance at her before looking up. "Here." She quickly opened the door and pulled the two inside. Homura couldn't help but let out a sigh as color bled back into the atmosphere and she sagged.

"KIDO!"

Seto and Kano were upon them immediately, dragging Kido away while Ayano steadied Homura into a chair.

"Takane, go put Haruka in the bed upstairs. Second room to the left."

Takane nodded wordlessly as she rushed up the steps. Homura sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"It all escalated…" she muttered tiredly. She was extra careful not to accidentally activate her power. No one needed to know how exhausted she was. However, the exhaustion from the wraith battle before her death was catching up to her, and black spots began dancing across her vision.

"You alright?" Ayano murmured to her. Homura gave an inaudible groan and attempted to get up.

"Oh no you don't," Ayano cut in, forcing her back down. "Even a blind man would be able to see you're tired. And…" she looked worriedly at the soul gem that was now dusted with flecks of black.

"I'm fine. Start a lookout. Keep watch. We don't know when the snake will come back…" She found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. "He'll be prepared now… Don't try to fight him… Last time we took him by surprise…" Before she knew it, her eyes fell shut and she spun into unconsciousness.

* * *

Ayano barely caught Homura from toppling off the chair. _She must be more tired than I thought…_ She eased her back into the chair before turning around. _Back to business,_ she thought determinedly.

"How's Tsu- Kido?" she asked as she entered the kitchen. _Focus. Think of it like a mission… Don't focus on what could go wrong… just focus on what you have to do._

Worried faces greeted her. "We've changed out the bandages," Kano began. "But… I don't think any of us know how to treat something this-…" He abruptly clammed up and looked away.

 _I sure am glad that Mom taught us all first-aid,_ Ayano commented sadly. _But… what am I supposed to do now?_ Suddenly she remembered something from Homura's story. "All we can do is wait for now," she muttered quietly. "Come on, guys," she said, addressing the three people still in the room. "Let's move her somewhere comfortabl-"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Ayano froze, eyes darting over to where Homura still sat, even while her thoughts raced a hundred miles per hour. _Isthatthesnake?Whatifthat'sthesnake?Whatarewegoingtodo?_

As she panicked, Seto took a deep breath, darted over to the drape-covered window, and peeked through. "It's not the snake," he announced with relief. "But… I think he's wearing the school uniform. Black hair, narrow eyes."

"Shin?" she whispered. The action snapped her back to the present. "Shu- Kano, Seto, could you bring Homura and Kido upstairs to where Haruka and Takane are? Tell them that they should stay there. Marry too. We don't want to explain why we have Haruka here, after all." She gave a nervous chuckle.

The two nodded, Kano lifting Kido up gently while Seto hefted Homura up the steps. Only when they were out of sight did she turn to the door. Slowly, throat tightening and hands shaking, she opened the door.

"Finally," Shintaro griped as they met face-to-face. "You sure took a while."

Ayano smiled -she'd gotten good at that lately- and laughed in what she hoped was an embarrassed way. "I had to sort out a few things. Sorry."

Ayano didn't know if it was because she had seen it before, but she noticed the barest trace of suspicion in his eyes. "So…"

"What are you doing here?" she asked, tilting her head. She didn't need to fake this part; she was genuinely curious as to why he was here.

"Ah, well…" This time he looked a tiny bit embarrassed, although he clearly tried to keep it from showing. "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?" Now she was _really_ curious.

"Apparently someone snuck into the school after hours. There are traces of there being someone on the roof. They don't seem to have done anything, though."

Ayano couldn't stop the flash of alarm that ran through her when she heard that. "And?" she prompted, earning a look and a sigh.

"There was an accident, not too far from here. It was impossible to tell clearly who it was… but…"

Understanding dawned on Ayano. "You were worried about me?" she asked, even as a warm feeling spread in her heart. She couldn't stop herself from smiling briefly before frowning. "I haven't heard of this yet…"

Shintaro looked down on her before stating coldly, "You're being awfully calm about this."

Ayano froze, eyes widening even as she tried to stop herself from showing any reaction. _Crap! I messed up! I should have known this would happen!_

Ayano knew that Shintaro was bright enough to notice any change in her behavior, no matter how small. But -unlike her- he was not afraid to point it out. It was something she had come to appreciate about him. No matter what it was, if there was something wrong, he would say so- bluntly and without beating around the bush.

Only now, it had backed her into a corner.

"Well-" Just then, there was a loud _CRASH_ , a shriek, and an angry yell that sounded _suspiciously_ like Takane from above.

"...Is that Takane?" Shintaro asked, glaring suspiciously at her. So he had heard as well.

Ayano chuckled nervously, sweating bullets under his scrutinizing gaze. "It's… it's a long, long story…" she sighed. She didn't want to involve him, but she was just so, _so_ tired. She didn't want to lie any more than she had to, and a small part of her desperately wished for him to understand (and maybe even help them with) the danger they had found themselves in.

 _Now you know what Homura had felt like…_ a treacherous voice whispered. _You know, and yet, you caved in so easily…_

Shaking the thought away, she cast her eyes about once again before she gestured for him to come in. As she closed the door, she caught his eyes, now showing slight confusion and disgruntlement.

"What's this about?" he said, but they both knew what he was really implying.

Ayano sighed once again. "To be honest, I'm not sure if you'll believe me… or even if I should tell you, but…" _We need you,_ Ayano added in her mind. I _need you._ She hated to bring someone else into the fray, _hated_ it, but she needed his genius intellect, his thoughts, his ideas. She couldn't just rely on Homura to make the decisions for her.

(A part of her hated the fact that she was relying on anyone at all. Shouldn't a hero be able to save the day on their own? But, alas, she didn't know what else to do.)

 _Just get it over with!_ she scolded herself. Taking a deep breath, she went ahead and spit it out.

"Mydadwaspossessedbyasnakefromanotherworldandhe'snowtryingtoreviveMombyusingtheothersnakesthatarein _this_ worldbuttheoneswhopossessthosesnakeswoulddieifheactuallywentaheadwithhisplan."

Shintaro blinked. "O-oi, slow down…" He blinked again, along with Ayano, the two of them noticing the same thing at the same time.

Her hands were shaking.

She tightened them to fists and pressed them in her lap, but she could _feel_ them shuddering, trembling out of her control. She was _scared_ , and it was only now that she realized that, now that she recognized it and told herself it and _forced_ herself to see it and…

She felt a small weight on her shoulder and immediately attacked it, launching herself forward to the source as she crumbled into Shintaro's body and _screamed_ , only without any sound or any semblance of noise because she couldn't, _wouldn't_ let her siblings see just how weak she was, how terrified she was and… -she was only fifteen! Why did she have to go through this? Why did she have to deal with this? Why was she here? Why couldn't she have been strong enough to prevent this from happening in the first place?

Silent sobs wracked her body as she clung desperately to the now wrinkled white uniform in front of her. Panicked gasps and huffs was the only thing she heard, and even _that_ sounded muffled, out of reach. It was only when she regained her senses did she comprehend the two arms wrapped around her awkwardly. Her breathing gradually slowed until she had finally brought herself out of her hysterics and looked up at the boy.

"Haa… Thanks… Shin…"

He looked away uncomfortably and replied with a gruff, "It was nothing." Ayano couldn't help but smile at his antics and the familiarity of it all.

"Well…" she trailed off. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Mm… How about why Takane is at your house?" he said. "Or why you were the one who answered the door and not your dad?"

"Ah… it's easier to start with the second…" She rubbed her head nervously. "It's really… unbelievable." _Oh man, I_ really _sympathize with Homura now,_ she remarked inwardly. "I promise I'm telling the truth but… Dad was possessed by a snake from another world and is now trying to bring Mom back from the dead…?"

A dazed look came over him. "...Are you joking?"

"Shintaro!" she yelled before sighing. "I guess it's too much to expect you to believe…"

"Eh- no, no, I believe you," he reassured, no doubt thinking about her breakdown not that long ago. "It's just… hard to… process, yeah, that's it. Process." He frowned before adding, "Isn't that a good thing…?"

"Shuuya said the same thing," Ayano giggled, only to turn serious once again. "But no, it's not. See, in order to bring her back, D- the snake is planning on bringing together all of the snakes from the other world and use their power. But… if that happens… everyone with a power will die. Shuuya… Tsubomi… Kousuke… I can't let that happen to them. I can't."

"Who're they?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "They're my adoptive siblings." Which reminded her… "As for why Takane's here, well… it's because the snake was planning to kill her and Haruka so they'd possess snakes as well."

"Wait," Shintaro said, startled eyes gazing at her. "Haruka's here too? And he was going to _kill_ them…?!"

"...Maybe we should take this upstairs," she said, starting to get a little apprehensive. He nodded mutely, and the two headed up the steps.

* * *

When Shintaro walked into the room, he certainly didn't expect four pairs of eyes staring at him. He would have flinched back were it not for the fact that one, that would be _beyond_ embarrassing and two, Ayano was immediately telling them to calm down and that he was ok. The four in the room immediately relaxed at that, although two still seemed tense and Takane gave him an uneasy smirk. Only then did he realize the other three occupants, still and unmoving.

A girl with green hair and a purple hoodie, another girl with raven-black hair in some sort of cosplay, and… Haruka.

 _Just what have I gotten myself into?_

Even with all those thoughts racing in his head, he couldn't help but admire the way Ayano had so casually taken charge, immediately calming down the two boys and getting everyone to gather in a circle.

"Alright, our first order of business… introductions," he heard her mutter under her breath. "Guys, this is Shintaro Kisaragi," she began, motioning to him, "and Takane Enomoto." She motioned to Takane. "They're my schoolmates. That," she said, motioning to the black-haired boy, "is Kousuke Seto. And this," she added, motioning to the blond, "is Shuuya Kano. They're my adoptive siblings." Her eyes flitted to the unconscious girl in purple hoodie (wrapped up in bandages, he noticed) and he couldn't help but wonder if this was the 'Tsubomi' she had spoken of earlier. Then her eyes strayed to the raven-haired girl, someone he had never seen in his life (and what was with the cosplay?). _I wonder who she is._ Regardless, he couldn't dwell on those thoughts, as Ayano was already rushing ahead.

"Finally, this is Marry," she said, motioning to the white-haired girl huddling behind the black-haired boy, Kousuke Seto, if he remembered correctly.

"Now, our second order of business-" and he couldn't help but think of a sci-fi mission, "-are explanations." Here she heaved a protracted sigh. "I… honestly don't know where to start," she admitted.

"Why are we here?" Takane piped up. "I mean, you kinda dragged me here without any explanation," she added sardonically.

"Apparently her dad was possessed by a snake from another world and was planning on killing you two," Shintaro spoke up, catching a grateful look from Ayano.

Takane stared at him, mouth open like a goldfish before she apparently realized what she was doing and abruptly snapped it shut. "But what… what if Haruka dies?" Here she gulped a big intake of breath before continuing. "He's not hooked up to the IVs anymore… he's not in the hospital anymore… and he had just suffered from an attack…!"

"I don't know," Ayano interrupted, looking extremely uneasy. "I don't know, but I think he's better off here than back there. Back there, the snake would be able to get to him at any time, whereas here… he at least has all of us watching him." There was an unspoken "I hope," but Shintaro heard it nonetheless.

He didn't know why, but since Ayano looked like she was on the verge of another breakdown, he reached out and grasped her hand. He almost regretted it as Takane looked up, flashed him a devious little smirk, and shot a _look_ right into his eyes. However, Ayano mouthed a quick "thank you" to him.

"Why did Da- the snake try to kill Takane-san?" Seto asked, drawing him away from his thoughts.

"Ah…" Was that a look of dread on her face? "Y-you see…"

 _There's definitely unease there…_ he frowned.

Another deep breath, and then, "It's because in order to make contact with the world of the snakes, you have to die on August 15th."

This time Shintaro really did recoil, mind flashing through all the possible scenarios. Takane and Haruka could've _died_ today, the two boys sitting in front of him had _already_ died on this day… That knowledge, it was horrifying.

He suddenly remembered the accident that took Ayano's mother's life and realized, with growing dread, that Ayano's father had been there as well.

 _And the car accident on the news that had brought him here…_

"That's terrible," Takane whispered. "That's… so fucking _messed up_ …"

"Language," Ayano mumbled back, and the pigtailed girl dissolved into near hysterical giggles. Shintaro couldn't blame her; she had just realized that she and her classmate really _could_ have died. The worst part was? It had involved her in a mess that she had never wanted to take part in.

It seemed that both Ayano and the blond- Kano- had the same thought, as they only looked on sadly.

 _All this doom and gloom…_ He knew that if Haruka was awake, he would be attempting to clear the air. But he wasn't, and no one else seemed to have any intention on doing just that.

 _Suck it up, Shintaro!_ he reprimanded himself before speaking up. "So… about these powers that you mentioned…"

* * *

She was eternally grateful to Shintaro. He hadn't said a word about the 'incident' downstairs, and now, when she had needed someone to lean on more than anything, he was there.

 _He even helped distract everyone from the prior dread and assisted in moving the conversation along_ , she noted. _This can't be easy for him… and yet, he's managing to function, even when he's so far out of his comfort zone. I guess the one good thing about this situation is that he's opened up more,_ she commented wryly. _But I still have a job to do,_ she reminded herself, looking out at the sea of faces.

"Kano," she began. "Could you demonstrate real quick? Something easy."

The blond smiled at her. In a flash, he held up a small bird in his hand, with his eyes burning a bright red.

"Whoa," Takane said. "Is that-"

"It's not real," Kano stated as he lowered his hand, eyes returning back to normal. "That was an illusion. That's my power, the 'Deceiving Eyes'."

"When people… go to the other world, let's say, there's only one way to go back," Ayano continued. "And that's to be possessed by a snake. The snakes act as a surrogate life for that person, while also granting them powers. It's… it's why, if the snake ends up gathering all the snakes…" she dropped into silence. No words were needed.

"Is… is there any signal for when the powers are activated?" Shintaro asked, eyes filled with worry and… dread?

"Ah, well, I'm not 100% sure if this is for everyone, but I've seen that when the powers are activated, they normally have red eyes."

Shintaro immediately began paling. " _Momo_ ," he whispered.

Ayano's eyes widened as she whipped around to face him. "Your sister?"

He nodded, face ashen white and his eyes frozen in front of him. "Ever since she nearly drowned she's always been drawing attention towards her… and sometimes I'd see her eyes turn a bright red… what if the snake comes for her?" Now there was pure panic in his eyes as he turned to her. Ayano could feel that same panic filling her even as a pit of dread began forming in her stomach.

 _What am I supposed to do now?!_

"We- we could bring her here, like Marry…" Seto said.

"Nonono, that won't work- how would we get Kisaragi-san to allow her to stay here?- but we can't just leave her alone…"

"Have all the snakes been gathered yet?" Everyone turned to look at Takane, who semi-flinched under all the stares.

"What do you mean?" Ayano asked, because Momo was in danger, because she might _die_ , because there was too much happening for her to keep up…

"I mean…" Here she paused, looking off to the side before turning back towards them again. "She already has a power right? That means there's no need for the snake to kill her again, right? That means that until all of the snakes are in this world, there's no reason for him to do anything. W-well, that's just what I think, at any rate…"

Ayano blinked. Shintaro blinked. Kano blinked. Seto blinked. Even Marry blinked.

"That… makes a lot of sense," Ayano admitted, feeling her panic recede. "But what…?"

"Well, right now, the best we can do is keep an eye out for her," Takane sighed, running her fingers through her bangs. "But… what are we going to do if the snake comes back?"

The room fell silent. Ayano looked down at her lap and clenched her fists. _If the snake comes back? Well, there's only one thing I can think of that we_ can _do… and that is…_

"We fight."

Heads snapped toward her direction. She squeezed her eyes shut and flung them open, glaring determinedly at the others.

"There's nothing else we can do, is there? If he comes… that means he's going to try and… finish the job. But we… _I_ … can't allow that. I can't allow that to happen. I won't let you all…" Her voice trembled, so she stopped, took a breath, and continued. "...I won't let you die. Which means there's nothing else for me to do but try and fight him, no matter how pitiful the attempt. No matter how small the difference. Because… at least I tried, right?" She turned a pleading gaze onto the others, eyes wavering and brows tilted backward. "At least I tried to protect you all… and at least I tried not to let him- _it_ \- win."

She spotted the others nodding along to her words, Takane's eyes narrowing into that of grim determination, Seto's and Shintaro's eyes matching her. Marry had furrowed her eyes into a look of pure concentration, tightly clenching the sleeve of Seto's shirt as she gazed at her. Kano had looked away, closed his eyes, and flashed- of all things- a grin at her.

"You're right," he smiled. "We're not going to take this lying down. If there's something we can do, we do it."

"I'm not going to just throw away my life like that," Shintaro muttered.

"Hell yeah," Takane nodded. "It'll be pathetic if I just decided to give up when I have so much left to do. If I'm going down, I'm definitely taking my enemies with me."

She couldn't stop her mouth from slowly inching and spreading apart into a smile of her own. Her eyes felt suspiciously warm, and she could almost feel a slight sting just beneath her eyelids.

"T-thanks, everyone…" she whispered. "Thank you all… so much…!"

"...H-hey, Ayano, why are you crying?"

"A-Ayano-neechan? Please don't cry…"

"But how can I stop?" She blinked away the tears and looked up at them. "I'm just… so happy…!"

 _Because, despite everything, despite all that's going on around us, you all decided to stick with me and listen to me. You all decided to fight for our happiness, together._

 _And that, I think, is all that I could ever wish for._

* * *

 **A/N: Finally done with this chapter~! I think it's been sitting in my folder for a while now haha. The ending kind of drags a bit, so sorry about that (I was kind of running out of steam at that point QvQ)**

 **The middle of the chappie was fun tho. I love writing character freakouts and internal monologues o3o. It's just, getting in the skin of your character is just so appealing, you know? XD**

 **At any rate, hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time! (whenever that may be)**

 **P.S. Do you want me to involve Kyubey in this story? I've been debating it for a while now (maybe put him in as a part of a mini-arc?) and I honestly don't really know whether I should or should not. On one hand, it would be an amazing opportunity to really dig into the ramifications of what this story is pretty much about (it is, after all, titled Of Wishes and Wills). On the other hand, the in-universe explanation might get a little 'coincidental' (if you know what I mean), and I might not be able to properly execute my idea/message through my writing.**

 **Well, what do you think? Kyubey or no Kyubey?**

 **(basically do you want Kyubey to fuck up everything or not o3o)**


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